Liberty will increase parking spaces

LIBERTY - A group of business people concerned about the lack of parking on Beldon Avenue learned Wednesday that more parking will be available in the near future.

The Wolford brothers, Malcolm and George, who have downtown rental property, and business people, who rent the property, are concerned about the lack of public parking near the businesses.

Malcolm Wolford told the City Council that a restaurant and smaller businesses on the east side of Beldon Avenue have little parking. More vehicles are parking on Beldon because of the new senior citizens building and another new business.

"If you own any property downtown, you know it's hard to rent and keep it rented," said Malcolm Wolford. "We don't look at it as just helping us, we feel like we're helping businesses to stay downtown."

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Mayor Steve Sweeney said 15-20 additional spaces will be marked off in the city parking lot off Middleburg Street as soon as the lot has been sealed. Another 30 to 40 parking spaces will be added along Post Office Street and Beldon Avenue when the old fitness factory building is razed.

"As soon as we get part of the old fitness factory building down, we will start blacktopping." The work should begin in two to three weeks, he said.

Sweeney said the additional parking will be a great benefit and more than adequate to all downtown businesses. Six additional spaces have been added recently near the post office.

"I think 50 spaces should be enough, but if we need more, we can do more," Sweeney said. "I'd like to have some green space (near Beldon Avenue and Post Office Street)," he said.

He said businesses can put up signs to prohibit parking in private parking areas.

"People really need to use the city parking lot," said Sweeney, adding that it's not always possible to park in front of a place of business.